better than a letter from santa

Amidst all the bills, christmas cards and circulars for random crap stuff to buy at bed, bath and beyond, a letter will arrive in our mailbox soon. It will be from a little boy named Domeniko from Albania who lacks basic necessities of life like the ability to go to school, sleep in a warm home at night or have access to quality healthcare. Addressed to Reuben, Domeniko writes of his thanks for the rabbits purchased by Reuben to help him have food, meat to sell to eat and a warm fur hat to wear during the cold winter months.

maybe even a hat like this!

A few weeks before the letter arrives, pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters are strewn across our dining room table. Though Reuben has been saving up in his piggy bank for “a big McQueen” we tell him about how there are lots of kids around the world who don’t get presents at Christmas time, don’t have food to eat and are cold. “But why are they cold?” He asks. So we look at the World Vision website to find a gift for him to buy for a kid who really needs gifts at Christmas time. We count out $16 in change to make a donation to buy the rabbits.

Though Reuben gets distracted and hops off my lap to play, I notice that you can send a card to someone along with the donation. Though it’s intended as a gift card for someone on whose behalf a donation has been made, I thought about how cool it would be for Reuben to get a letter from Domeniko. Hopefully when it arrives, it will help Reuben remember when we ordered the rabbits for kids who don’t get many presents at Christmas time.

There are tons of cool ways to care for people this season through the World Vision catalogue- whether you send a goat to your boss (from world vision, not actually a goat standing on his desk) and some fancy goat cheese, a couple of soccer balls to your best bro Bert along with a real soccer ball, or 2 chickens for your great aunt Hilda along with a McDonald’s gift card so she can get a winner! winner! McNugget Chicken dinner!

For another idea on how to help your kids develop compassion, give generously and think about those in need, check out my friend Grace’s blog.